Government has decentralized the acquisition of Liberian passports by opening six application centers in Los Angeles and Chicago, United States; Pretoria, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; New Delhi, India; and Melbourne, Australia.
It said Liberians residing in those countries and are in dire need of their country passport and not visa can get to those Liberian passport application centers for the acquisition of their document.
Foreign Minister, Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, told the state- weekly press briefing yesterday at the Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) in Monrovia that these are some of the reform programs undertaken by the ministry.
He said additional passport application centers globally are expected to be announced on Thursday, February 23, intended for Liberians to acquire their passport within the period of 6-weeks.
Kemayah, stated among many things, that these centers have been open and are now receiving applications from Liberians who need to legalize their residency following the expiration of their document (passport) in those host countries.
“Following the passage of the double nationality legislation or act last year for diaspora Liberians the acquisition of Liberian passports is demanding to the extent there are numerous made every nowadays than ever before,” he noted.
The Foreign Minister stated that the opening of these Liberian passport application centers around the world where Liberians are, is an opportunity for them to take advantage of the situation because this is uncompromising.
Kemayah indicated that applications at those centers will be handled by the Visa Facilitation Services Global known as VFS is the world’s largest visa outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide.
The company manages the administrative and non-judgmental tasks related to visa, passport and consular services for its client government.
Bulk Press Limited and VFS are under contract with the government to be responsible for processing or handling Liberian passport affairs stressing VFS does not issue visas but process passports for Liberia.
In 2018, VFS processed more than 25 million visa applications, often containing passport details and financial histories, on behalf of the British Home Office and 61 other governments globally.
